2121 North California Blvd., Suite 290
Walnut Creek, California 94596 March 28, 2024
To the Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
of the City of Patterson
Patterson, California
We have audited the financial statements of the governmental activities, the business-type activities, each major fund, and the aggregate remaining fund information of the City of Patterson, California (the “City”) for the year ended June 30, 2023. Professional standards require that we provide you with information about our responsibilities under auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America, Government Auditing Standards, and the Uniform Guidance, as well as certain information related to the planned scope and timing of our audit. We have communicated such information in our letter to you dated May 1, 2023. Professional standards also require that we communicate the following information related to our audit.
Qualitative Aspects of Accounting Practices
Accounting Policies
Management is responsible for the selection and use of appropriate accounting policies. The significant accounting policies used by the City are described in Note 1 to the basic financial statements. In May 2019, GASB issued Statement No. 91, Conduit Debt Obligations (GASB Statement No. 91), to provide a single method of reporting conduit debt obligations by issuers and eliminate diversity in practice associated with (1) commitments extended by issuers, (2) arrangements associated with conduit debt obligations, and (3) related note disclosures. This Statement achieves those objectives by clarifying the existing definition of a conduit debt obligation; establishing that a conduit debt obligation is not a liability of the issuer; establishing standards for accounting and financial reporting of additional commitments and voluntary commitments extended by issuers and arrangements associated with conduit debt obligations; and improving required note disclosures. Application of this statement did not have an effect on the City’s financial reporting for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. In March 2020, GASB issued Statement No. 94, Public-Private and Public-Public Partnerships and Availability Payment Arrangements. The primary objective of this Statement is to improve financial reporting by addressing issues related to public-private and public-public partnership arrangements (PPPs). As used in this Statement, a PPP is an arrangement in which a government (the transferor) contracts with an operator (a governmental or nongovernmental entity) to provide public services by conveying control of the right to operate or use a nonfinancial asset, such as infrastructure or other capital asset (the underlying PPP asset), for a period of time in an exchange or exchange-like transaction. Application of this statement did not have an effect on the City’s financial reporting for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. In May 2020, GASB issued Statement No. 96, Subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements.
This Statement provides guidance on the accounting and financial reporting for subscription-based information technology arrangements (SBITAs) for government end users (governments). This Statement (1) defines a SBITA; (2) establishes that a SBITA results in a right-to-use subscription asset—an intangible asset—and a corresponding subscription liability; (3) provides the capitalization criteria for outlays other than subscription payments, including implementation costs of a SBITA; and (4) requires note disclosures regarding a SBITA. To the extent relevant, the standards for SBITAs are based on the standards established in Statement No. 87, Leases, as amended. Application of this statement did not have an effect on the City’s financial reporting for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.
To the Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
of the City of Patterson
Patterson, California
We noted no transactions entered into by the City during the year for which there is a lack of authoritative guidance or consensus. All significant transactions have been recognized in the financial statements in the proper period.
Accounting Estimates
Accounting estimates are an integral part of the financial statements prepared by management and are based on management’s knowledge and experience about past and current events and assumptions about future events. Certain accounting estimates are particularly sensitive because of their significance to the financial statements and because of the possibility that future events affecting them may differ significantly from those expected. The most sensitive estimates affecting the City’s financial statements were:
Management’s estimate of the fair value of investments is based on information provided by the State of California, U.S. Treasury, and financial institutions. We agreed the fair value factor used in determining that it is reasonable in relation to the financial statements as a whole. Management’s estimate of the depreciation on capital assets is based on the industry standard and past experience on actual useful life of the asset groups. We evaluated the key factors and assumptions used to develop the depreciation on capital assets in determining that it is reasonable in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole.
Management’s estimate of the net other postemployment benefits (“OPEB”) liability is based on the actuarial valuation on total OPEB liability. We evaluated the key factors and assumptions used to develop the total OPEB liability in determining that it is reasonable in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole.
Management’s estimate of the net pension liabilities is based on the proportionate share of actuarial valuation on total pension liability and the proportionate share of the fiduciary net position for CalPERS plans. We evaluated the key factors and assumptions used to develop the net pension liability in determining that it is reasonable in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole.
Certain financial statement disclosures are particularly sensitive because of their significance to financial statement users. The most sensitive disclosures affecting the financial statements were:
Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Note 3 – Lease Receivable
Note 13 – Pension Plans
Note 14 – Other Postemployment Benefits
Note 16 – Other Required Disclosures
Note 19 – Prior Period Adjustments
Note 20 – Commitments and Contingencies
The financial statement disclosures are neutral, consistent, and clear.
Difficulties Encountered in Performing the Audit
We encountered no significant difficulties in dealing with management in performing and completing our audit.
Corrected and Uncorrected Misstatements
Professional standards require us to accumulate all known and likely misstatements identified during the audit, other than those that are clearly trivial, and communicate them to the appropriate level of management. There were no misstatements identified during our audit that management had to correct and none of the misstatements detected as a result of audit procedures were material, either individually or in the aggregate, to each opinion unit’s financial statements taken as a whole.
To the Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
of the City of Patterson
Patterson, California
Disagreements with Management
For purposes of this letter, a disagreement with management is a financial accounting, reporting, or auditing matter, whether or not resolved to our satisfaction, that could be significant to the financial statements or the auditors’ report.
We are pleased to report that no such disagreements arose during the course of our audit.
Management Representations
We have requested certain representations from management that are communicated to us in the management representation letter dated March 28, 2024.
Management Consultations with Other Independent Accountants In some cases, management may decide to consult with other accountants about auditing and accounting matters, similar to obtaining a “second opinion” on certain situations. If a consultation involves application of an accounting principle to the governmental unit’s financial statements or a determination of the type of auditor’s opinion that may be expressed on those statements, our professional standards require the consulting accountant to check with us to determine that the consultant has all the relevant facts.
Other Audit Findings or Issues
We generally discuss a variety of matters, including the application of accounting principles and auditing standards, with management each year prior to retention as the governmental unit’s auditors. However, these discussions occurred in the normal course of our professional relationship and our responses were not a condition to our retention.
Other Matters
We applied certain limited procedures to the Management’s Discussion and Analysis, Modified Approach to Reporting Street Pavement Costs, Budgetary Comparison Schedules, Schedules of Changes in Net Pension Liability and Related Ratios, Schedules of Contributions – Pension, and Schedule of Changes in Total OPEB Liability and Related Ratios, and Schedule of Contributions – OPEB, which are required supplementary information (“RSI”) that supplements the basic financial statements. Our procedures consisted of inquiries of management regarding the methods of preparing the information and comparing the information for consistency with management’s responses to our inquiries, the basic financial statements, and other knowledge we obtained during our audit of the basic financial statements. We did not audit the RSI and do not express an opinion or provide any assurance on the RSI.
We were engaged to report on the Combining and Individual Nonmajor Fund Financial Statements and Budgetary Comparison Schedules, which accompany the financial statements but are not RSI. With respect to this supplementary information, we made certain inquiries of management and evaluated the form, content, and methods of preparing the information to determine that the information complies with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, the method of preparing it has not changed from the prior period, and the information is appropriate and complete in relation to our audit of the financial statements. We compared and reconciled the supplementary information to the underlying accounting records used to prepare the financial statements or to the financial statements themselves.
We were not engaged to report on the Introductory and Statistical Sections, which accompany the financial statements but are not RSI. We did not audit or perform other procedures on this other information and we do not express an opinion or provide any assurance on it.
To the Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
of the City of Patterson
Patterson, California
Restriction on Use
This information is intended solely for the information and use of the City Council and management of the City and is not intended to be, and should not be, used by anyone other than these specified parties.
Very truly yours,
Walnut Creek, California